All is well that ends well

Antham’, one of the latest releases this week has its timing bang on target. With Hyderabad once again under national spotlight with the arrest of a few militants attempting to foment mayhem and chaos, this film too has a similar theme coincidentally, sustaining its nearly two hours of running time. It bases itself on a terror plot, revealed in stages, in which the lead pair of Charandeep and Rashmi Gautam, a lovey-dovey couple get entangled.

The story, which is shown happening between Vijayawada and Hyderabad, literally runs on the highway and off it, when the hero, returning home is trapped into obeying the instructions of a mysterious caller who has kidnapped his wife and threatens to assault her, if his wishes are not complied with. The manner in which the intruder snares the heroine and exchanges messages on the smartphone via Whatsapp with the hero is interestingly done.

Meanwhile, in the car, Charandeep, the tall, bearded software engineer has another co-passenger whom he gives a lift Vasudev, who literally moves around in a lungi and T shirt in pursuit of his love, about to getting married in Hyderabad the next day. He is placed for the unintentional humour sequences that arise, even as the harried hero meekly complies with the kidnapper’s commands and pleads with him to spare his wife from any harm.

Director GSSP Kalyan deserves kudos for sticking to his screenplay, not succumbing to any diversions and pacing the narrative pretty steadily in the first half. The intermission flashes the dangerous situation into which Charandeep finds himself in, even as he is helpless and in no position to defy the diktats of the militant group, directing him from Hyderabad. In fact, it is a real life take, on how innocent citizens are trapped into doing unimaginable acts of terrorism, all because they are soft targets and in no position to take on the well-entrenched desperadoes.

Of course, in true commercial cinema tradition, there is a positive turn of events at the climax and the disaster which the terrorists plan to inflict is averted. What is disappointing is the quality of acting, especially the hero Charandeep who is inadequate as he expresses his tension at having his young wife as a captive in the hands of the villains.

The comic interludes too are forced, not able to provide a relief to the grim proceedings all the time. Rashmi Gautam, with her sizzler of a role in the recent flick ‘Guntur Talkies’ managing a sizeable following among the youth, delivers what is expected of her and manages a better show than her screen partner. In all, a different kind of a terror and crime drama is what one gets to see with ‘Antham’, with a happy ending.

Film Name : Antham

Cast : Rashmi Gautam and Charandeep
Direction : GSSP Kalyan
Genre : Thriller
Likes : Simple and straight narrative
Dislikes : Inconsistent performance levels of the star cast

By K Naresh Kumar